Such sealing sleeves on a rotary joint coupling, that is, on a rotating drive joint, on the one hand, have to retain the grease filling in the joint, on the other hand, have to prevent the introduction of dirt into the joint and also withstand volume changes of the space enclosed by the sealing sleeve in a manner without damage. In this instance, the sealing sleeve also has to perform these tasks in a reliable manner with angular positions of the rotary joint coupling, that is, in the event of an angular position between the shaft and the outer joint member even when the sealing sleeve by means of rotation of the rotary joint coupling is subjected to a rapidly changing, continuously oscillating flexion movement. With a rotary joint coupling, for example, in a cardan shaft of a passenger vehicle, high speeds, relatively large angular positions and consequently a powerful alternating flexural stress for the sealing sleeve can be produced.
WO 01/88399 A1 discloses a sealing sleeve in the form of a rolling bellows for sealing a rotary joint, having a first collar having a larger diameter for fixing on an outer joint member and a second collar having a smaller diameter for fixing on an inner joint member or shaft which is connected thereto. The rolling bellows has a partially double wall which connects the collars.
Although the influence of the alternating flexural stress at high speeds and large angular positions is thereby kept low, a particular sealing or volume tolerance is not pronounced.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,354,349 and 7,699,710 disclose a sealing sleeve in the manner of a rolling bellows, in which the wall portion, which is located between the larger collar and the smaller collar, forms at least one axially open annular fold with peripherally distributed divisions in the convex curvature. Although this is used for better release from the mold during production, it does not lead to particularly improved properties with respect to the sealing.